1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. S63-35274 discloses a female terminal fitting with opposite front and rear ends. A rectangular tube is formed at the front end and is configured to receive a male tab inserted from the front. A resilient contact is arranged inside the rectangular tube, and a receiving portion is embossed on a wall of the rectangular tube to project toward the resilient contact. The receiving portion is parallel with an inserting direction of the male tab. The male tab inserted into the rectangular tube is squeezed resiliently between the receiving portion and the resilient contact, and is held in surface contact with the receiving portion.
The above-described prior art terminal fitting is illustrated in FIG. 6(A) and is identified by the letter B. The terminal fitting B has a substantially rectangular receiving portion Ba for receiving a male tab T, and the width of the receiving portion Ba is constant along the inserting direction of the male tab T. Insertion resistance is created between the terminal fitting B and the male tab T due to friction resulting from a resilient force of the resilient contact piece (not shown) as the male tab T is inserted into the terminal fitting B. However, the terminal fitting B has the substantially rectangular receiving portion Ba. Thus, the value of the insertion resistance varies widely, and a maximum value of the insertion resistance is larger as an insertion stroke of the male tab T increases. Accordingly, there has been a problem of poor operation feeling upon manually connecting the male tab T with the terminal fitting B.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to improve operation feeling upon connecting a male tab.